The Limits of Destiny
by Riemann Hypothesis
Summary: The Cell Games have left Gohan in a storm of emotions. He needs someone. Seven years later, our young hero begins high school. A new evil threatens the Earth and some old allies return to help, but will it be enough?
1. Chapter 1: Torn

_**The Limits of Destiny**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 1: Torn

Peaceful times followed the conclusion of the Cell Games. It had been a year since Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan 2 and rid the Earth of the monstrous android, and not a single villain had disturbed the tranquility since. But, however tranquil the Earth was at the moment, nothing could calm the storm of emotions still raging in Gohan's heart.

In half of his heart was scorching fury, anger at himself for allowing his pride to cloud his judgment. If he hadn't, his father would still be alive. In the other half was pure sadness and disappointment that his father would not be coming back. There were two things that always ignited a spark of hope within Gohan: his father, and the belief that everything would turn out okay. His most inspiring memory was when, on Namek, Goku just walked right up to Frieza without hesitation. Even though Frieza was the most feared being in the universe, Gohan knew everything was going to work out. But now, both of those sources of inspiration were gone. This resulted in a feeling of extreme loneliness. His ultimate desire was for Goku to come back, but he knew it wouldn't happen. Nobody could replace his father, yet he still yearned for someone to share his adventures with.

In yet another half of his heart, he found happiness in the fact that he now had a little brother- Goten. He reminded Gohan so much of Goku that his anger was calmed by just holding him. Finally, in the last half of his heart, he felt responsibility. Should another threat to Earth ever arise, it would be up to him to conquer it. He knew that this technically added up to two hearts, but it's not like his mom was checking his math or anything. Speaking of his math, he probably had to get back to studying soon. Chi-Chi has become more lenient with studying following Goku's death, feeling that if she had allowed Gohan to train harder, Goku would still be alive. However, he still had to keep up with his studies.

"GOHAN! Dinner's ready!" Chi-Chi called from the front door of her house. This abruptly broke Gohan out of his meditation.

"Coming mom!" Gohan got up from his place under the tree and ran back inside, smelling what he perceived to be spaghetti and freshly baked bread. Sure enough, he hit the nail on the head. "Looks great mom! Thanks!" As Gohan began to dig in, there was a knock on the door.

"Chi-Chi! Gohan!" called the voice.

"Grandpa!" Gohan bolted over to the door and opened it, embracing his grandfather the Ox-King in a hug. Ever since Gohan's return from Namek, the Ox-King paid regular visits to the Son household, but since the Cell Games, he had come over nearly every day.

As dinner came to a close, Chi-Chi began her usual interrogations.

"Gohan, did you finish all your homework, sweetie?"

"Well, everything except for math, but that's because it's too easy and I think I could better spend my time-"

"Oh, too easy for you?" Chi-Chi interrupted. "Then, how do you differentiate a composition of functions?"

"Chi-Chi! Differentiation! He's only twelve years old! I didn't learn that until I was twenty!" Ox-King interjected, trying to save his grandson.

"FATHER! HE DOES NOT YOU TO PROVIDE HIM WITH EXCUSES FOR NEGLECTING HIS STUDIES!" As soon as Ox-King tried to respond, his head became a victim of the legendary frying pan. "So Gohan, how do you do it?"

"You use chain rule for derivatives. If you have f of g of x, you do f prime of g of x, and multiply by g prime of x." He calmly explained. Chi-Chi looked at her son in absolute bewilderment. He was supposed to be working on algebra, and she thought he couldn't have gotten as far as calculus yet, but apparently, she was wrong. "So mom, can I go train now?"

"Uh…sure…okay," was the response he received from his jaw-dropped mother. Gohan ran out the door and flew towards the Lookout.

* * *

><p>As soon as he landed, he was greeted by a typical "Hey kid." from Piccolo.<p>

"Ah! Piccolo! How've you been?"

"Excellent. What brings you here?"

"I was wondering if you could train me some more?" A smile sprouted across Piccolo's face.

"Gohan, you've far outclassed me in skill. I have nothing left to teach you." Gohan beamed at the compliment.

"Yeah there is." Piccolo looked genuinely surprised. What could he still have to teach the kid who beat Cell?

"What?"

"Well…during my fight with Cell, I was definitely more powerful, but in a way, I still lost. I let my pride overcome me. My mind was not as strong as it could have been. You've always had excellent judgment, so I was wondering if you could teach me!" Piccolo smiled again. This kid was truly amazing. Even though he had beaten the strongest villain to terrorize the Earth, and it was now a time of peace, he still wanted to improve.

"Well Gohan, I'd say you're already mentally fit. You recognized your mistake, and are willing to learn from it. All that is required now is a bit of meditation every once in a while. If you want, I can teach you more advanced forms of telekinesis, though. It should sharpen your mentality."

"Thanks Piccolo, you're the best! Oh, and there's one more thing."

"What is that?"

"I feel like I'm not…done yet."

"What do you mean 'done yet'"?

"Well, you see, I heard from Vegeta a long time ago that the super saiyans of legend were unstoppable, and that nobody could surpass them in power. During the fight with Cell, even though my power increased substantially, Cell was still able to put up a fight."

"I see. So you think that there's another level of Super Saiyan that you still have to reach."

"Uh-huh!"

"Well kid, I'd help you with that, but I'm not a Saiyan. I'd go talk to Vegeta about it."

"I was afraid you'd say that! Haha."

After talking with Piccolo and Dende for a few more minutes, Gohan headed off to Capsule Corporation. As Gohan flew off, Piccolo and Mr. Popo engaged in conversation.

"That boy sure is amazing. He reminds me of Goku," Mr. Popo said, in his ever cheerful tone.

"Yes, he does. And right now, that's a very good thing."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure Mr. Popo, but for the last few weeks, I've felt a disturbance growing somewhere. Some kind of evil. I'm not sure what kind of threat it will be, but it's best to be prepared."

"Surely it couldn't be worse than Cell, though!"

"I…hope you're right, Popo."

* * *

><p>Gohan landed at Capsule Corp only to be greeted with cookies and tea by Mrs. Briefs.<p>

"Oh, hi Mrs. Briefs. Is Vegeta around?"

"I would ask Bulma that, dear. You know, you really should have told me you were coming, and I could have made more cookies!" she answered, congenial as ever.

"Oh, thank you, but I'm kinda in a hurry," Gohan said, as he ran inside. He found Bulma in her lab, working on some new crazy project. Gadgets were scattered everywhere, and it was even messier than usual. Bulma's hair was full of split ends and it looked like she'd been up a while.

"Bulma!" Gohan exclaimed. He ran up to hug her.

"Ah, Gohan! So good to see you! How're you and your mom?"

"We've been well! So is Goten."

"Great to hear. So kid, what brings you all the way out here?"

"Actually, I was looking for Vegeta. Is he around, and preferably not grumpy?"

"Well…" Bulma said rather hesitantly. "Vegeta is having a…". She was cut off by yelling from another room.

"WOOOMAAAAAN! WHAT IN THE NAME OF NAMEK DID YOU GIVE ME!" Vegeta's voice was even more rough and angry than usual.

"IT'S CALLED A LAXATIVE YOU MORON! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU EAT UNHEALTHY AMOUNTS OF EXPIRED FOOD!" Gohan heard grumbles and curses, followed by extremely loud flatulence.

"Sounds like he's not having a good day…"Gohan whispered.

"No, Gohan, he's not. I haven't gone shopping due to my new project, so he ate five month old food, and a lot of it. So, I gave him a-"

"WOMAN! IF YOU THINK THIS IS SOME KIND OF JOKE, YOU ARE GOING TO PAY SEVERELY! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO FIX THIS THING!"  
>"Oh my Kami…" she grumbled. "WHAT THING!"<p>

"THE COMODE! THIS PIECE OF JUNK WON'T FLUSH!" Bulma's eyes bulged at the conclusion of that statement.

"Uh…I guess I'll come back another time," Gohan offered, innocently.

"Yeah, I think that'd be best."

"Well, see you later!" With that, Gohan flew home, laughing hysterically the whole way back. "Well," he said to himself, "he may be the Prince of all Saiyans, but that must be the king of all dumps!"

Although laughing is usually healthy, in this case, it may prove to be more deadly. Unbeknownst to Gohan, distracted by his own laughter, he was being followed.


	2. Chapter 2: Change

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 2: Change

The flight back home was going pretty well. After Gohan recovered from his hysteria at Vegeta's plight, he once again began contemplating how to ascend. Then, out of nowhere, Gohan sensed something. Someone was following him. Someone familiar. He looked back only to discover that the ki signature he picked up had completely disappeared.

'Hmm,' Gohan speculated. 'This could mean trouble.' Gohan stopped flying and scouted the area, and felt like he was being watched. "Alright! Come out! I know you're there!" He waited a moment, but nothing happened. "Huh. Maybe I'm just a bit too uptight today. Oh well." He continued his flight, keeping his senses keen. About two minutes later, he felt a slight upsurge of energy again. His flight ceased immediately.

"Alright. So, you wanna play games!" he roared. At that instant, his eyes became teal, his hair gold, and his muscles bulged. If someone wanted a piece of him, he wasn't going down without a fight.

Just then a small bald-headed man flew up from the forest beneath him, giggling.

"Hahahaha, did I scare ya, bro?" Krillin laughed. He felt privileged he had been able to at least frighten a Super Saiyan.

"Krillin! Phew, yeah, you did. Hehe. What's up?"Gohan powered back down into his normal state.

"Well, as you know, there's no grocery store on Master Roshi's island, so I was flying to go pick up some stuff when I saw you. What about you? What are you up to?"

"Well, I went to see Piccolo and Vegeta about training stuff."

"Uhhhh, how'd that go?" He cringed at the thought of asking Vegeta for training advice.

"Well, Piccolo gave some good advice, but Vegeta…well he was having a pretty crappy day. Literally." He mentally cracked up.

"Like always?" Krillin's sarcasm towards Vegeta never halted.

"Well, it's worse today. Bulma gave him something called a laxative or something."

"HAHAHA! Oh wow! That's great! Vegeta! Constipated! HAHAHA! You'd think he could just go Super Saiyan to push out his 'blockage' but I guess not!" Krillin was definitely having a fun time mocking Vegeta, although he probably wouldn't if Vegeta was actually around. "So anyways bro," he spoke, getting serious, "what do you need to train for? You're pretty much the strongest fighter ever right now!"

"Well…it's complicated." Gohan began. He then elaborated on how he needed to train his mind more, and how he felt that there was a level beyond super saiyan 2.

"Huh, well that's interesting. If anyone can do it, I know you can!"

"I bet my dad could, if he were here." Gohan then looked down, ashamedly.

"Gohan, look. I know you're sad about what happened to your dad. But look at it like this. He chose not to come back, he's doing alright. And before you go and get any thoughts, it's not your fault that any of this happened. Okay?"

"Yeah but-"

"No buts. If it weren't for you, all of us would be gone right now. I guess destiny sometimes just can't be avoided."

"Destiny? What do you mean, Krillin?"

"Well, in Trunks' time, Goku died of a heart virus, he wasn't killed by androids. Then in our time, we avoid most of the casualties, except that Goku still ends up dead. It's kind of like destiny wanted him to go or something. And the way I take it, it means he was needed elsewhere. Not just on Earth. And you were needed to become the new protector of Earth. You feel me?"

"Huh. Kind of. It makes sense, although it's pretty optimistic if you ask me." Krillin grinned.

"Well hey, life's too short to be pessimistic. If you spend all of your time worrying about what you should do or could do, then you'll never accomplish anything except making your hair fall out."

Gohan snickered. "A bit late for you, isn't it? Ahahaha." Krillin frowned.

"Hey, don't be so rude! I'm not naturally bald! In fact, I was kind of thinking about letting my hair grow out."

"Why, Krillin?"

"Well, I kept it waxed this whole time because of my fighting philosophy. But, there's really no reason to fight anymore, so it's rather pointless." Krillin then grinned and whispered, "Besides, it might help me with the lady department if ya know what I mean!" Gohan chuckled.

"Speaking of that, how're you and you-know-who?"

"Well," Krillin looked down, "not too good. BUT, that's a story for another time. I better go get some groceries. Nice talkin' to ya Gohan!" With that, Krillin flew off.

"Take care!" the young Saiyan yelled after him. With that, Gohan continued his journey home.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Gohan deeply contemplated Krillin's words, so much so that he couldn't get to sleep. 'Maybe Krillin's right. I mean, I never wanted to be a hero, I never asked for it. It was just…thrown on me. I'm perfectly fine with letting someone else save the day. I didn't want that obligation, so why me? Maybe it was destiny?' He sat up with an intense look on his face.<p>

'No! I refuse to believe that. If all of this was destiny, then that means that anything I ever do is predetermined. That means that if destiny willed it, then no matter how hard I train, I still might not be able to protect the people I care about. Krillin has to be wrong. I control my own destiny.' Gohan laid back down and turned over.

'Gosh, I can't believe it's been nearly half my life ago that this all started. I wonder what would have happened if Raditz never showed up? That means dad would've never died that first time, but it might mean him and Piccolo would still be enemies. It might also mean that Vegeta never came, so we'd have never gone to Namek. Then dad would've never become a Super Saiyan. Wow, come to think of it, it does sound a bit like destiny. One event just…changed everything. NO! I refuse to believe it.'

These thoughts and more haunted Gohan all night. 'How do I ascend? I know there has to be a way. Dad would know…that's it! Dad knew! At least, he knew how to prepare for the second level. We had to make it feel natural to be Super Saiyan in order to ascend to the second level. So maybe, to ascend again, I have to make it feel natural to be in the second level! Dad, you truly were a fighting genius.' At this, a smile crept across Gohan's face as he dozed off into a well needed slumber.

* * *

><p>It was nearly 2:30 in the afternoon the next day, and Gohan still was not up.<p>

"Oh my gosh, dad, I wonder if he's sick! I mean, he even slept through breakfast! He's never asleep past 8." Chi-Chi was worried. She had noticed a change in her son's demeanor since the Cell Games, but his behavior lately was even more aberrant than usual. He was ahead in his studies, something she'd never expect. But it wasn't that. He was more…quiet. Gohan wasn't the happy kid he once was. He still had a lot of love, that she could tell. He just kept to himself more.

"Maybe. I think it's best to let him get his rest. We'll ask him when he wakes up," replied the Ox-King. Worry filled his voice as well.

Finally, around 4:00, Gohan awoke. He walked into the living room, where Chi-Chi and the Ox-King were playing with Goten.

"Morning mom! Morning grandpa!" Gohan greeted the two with the Son smile.

"I believe you mean 'afternoon', Gohan," Chi-Chi corrected.

"Huh?" He looked at the clock. "Oh wow…talk about messing up a circadian rhythm."

"Gohan…I have to ask you something…but first you have a visitor."

"A visitor?" He was confused. Who'd be visiting him?

"Go outside and see." Gohan obeyed. As he stepped outside, he was surprised to find the Saiyan prince sitting under a tree.

"Well! It's about time! You're lucky your mother had a frying pan, or I would've woken you up hours ago!" Gohan chuckled, imagining Chi-Chi threatening Vegeta with a frying pan. 'Oh mother…'

"So Vegeta, what's up?"

"WHAT! I'm the one who should be asking what's up. You're the one who came looking for me yesterday, remember?"

"Oh yeah, hehe. Well, I was going to ask you something…about Saiyans."

"Hm? What?" Vegeta perked up, intrigued. He considered himself an expert on the topic, and secretly loved when someone required his expertise.

"Well. You know I reached a level beyond a super saiyan. I know that you felt the existence of this level while being a super saiyan."

"Yeah, and?"

"Well, I was wondering. The super saiyans of legend were unstoppable, right?"

"According to legend, yes. No power in the universe could surpass their strength. Why?"

"Well, I feel like there's still another level. You see, I reached the second level, but at some point in the fight, Cell was still able to match me. So…"

"I see. It's entirely possible. I wouldn't know…" Anguish could be seen in Vegeta's eyes as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Gohan was shocked. He was sure Vegeta would've ascended by now. It's already been a year. If he ascended, he should've been able to feel what he felt. "I see you have a confused look on your face. To clarify, I stopped training." Now he'd heard everything. 'Vegeta?' Gohan thought. 'Not training? What's going on?'

"I will not explain any further than that."

"Oh…okay. I was actually wanting a sparring partner, though."

"Maybe the Namek can entertain you. I figured you'd still be training, though, so I brought you a little gift." Vegeta pulled a capsule out of his pocket and threw it over to Gohan.

"Uh, what's this?"

"It's a gravity chamber. It goes up to 750 times normal gravity. My woman decided she would make a few of them, in case we ever faced another crisis. But I don't need one." The young boy became rather gloomy. Nothing was the same anymore. Even Vegeta didn't want to train.

'Well,' Gohan thought, 'I guess the good old days really are old now.'

"If that's the end of your inquiries, I'll be leaving now."

"Oh. Thanks, Vegeta!" With that, Vegeta flew off.

The Prince of all Saiyans experienced a horrendous shock following the Cell Games. For nearly five years, his ultimate ambition had been to beat Kakarot. The three years of training at 450 times normal gravity, the two years he spent in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and even eventually achieving the pinnacle of the Saiyan race, was still not enough to catch him. He had pushed his body to limits he never even imagined existed. And now, Kakarot was gone, and what's worse, his twelve year old child was way more powerful than him. What did he have to achieve now? Some days, he'd just lie in bed wishing Kakarot would come back, or for another villain to come along. His insatiable appetite for fighting had plummeted to no more than a slight thirst.

As Vegeta flew off, Gohan could only think to himself. 'Wow, things really have changed. I've seen demonic tyrants, androids, little green men sprouting up from the ground, but never would I ever expect for Vegeta to just…give up. Dad, I wish you were here.'

He remembered his mom wanted to ask him something, so he went back inside.

"Well son, how'd that go? No fights today?" Chi-Chi was part relieved, but also part disappointed. She didn't want anyone to get hurt, but on the other hand, she knew a good brawl might cheer her son up.

"Surprisingly, no. Vegeta said he doesn't train anymore."

"WHAT!" Chi-Chi was flabbergasted beyond belief, her jaw hanging open, her eyes wide.

"So mom," Gohan interrupted, snapping his mother out of her dismay, "what did you need to ask me?"

"Oh, right. Gohan, are you feeling okay? Do you feel sick or anything?" He gave that innocent confused look that him and Goku became known for.

"Huh? No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Well…what about depressed? Are you sad or angry Gohan?"

He thought a moment. He couldn't tell his mom the truth. She already had enough stress taking care of Goten and trying to be two parents at once. She hadn't even had the time to properly mourn his dad's loss yet. How could he put more on her?

"No, I feel fine mom." He forced a smile to make it look convincing. Chi-Chi knew he was lying, but thought it best not to push things.

"Well okay, sweetie, if you say so." She walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll go make some dinner now."

"Thanks mom!" This time, a real smile spread across his face. Nothing could keep a Saiyan down when there was food involved.

"Oh, and we'll have some company for dinner today."

"Who?"

"Yamcha. He called earlier and said he'd like to come over."

"Cool!"


	3. Chapter 3: Training

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 3: Training

"Dinner's almost ready. I wonder when Yamcha will get here?" questioned Chi-Chi as she finished preparing the food.

Gohan sensed a ki signature approaching. "He'll be here in about three minutes," he replied. Knowing her son could do out-of-this-world things, she decided not to ask how he knew that.

Yamcha was one of the hardest hit by Goku's death. He was the first of the Z fighters that Goku had met, and they'd been friends since Goku was just a little boy. Not only had he lost Goku, but he had also lost Bulma, and as if a slap in the face, he had lost her to Vegeta. He spent his free time travelling between Capsule Corp., Chi-Chi's house, and Master Roshi's. Often, he'd look up at the full moon, and reminisce about the many adventures they'd had, starting with Goku's transformation into a giant ape at Emperor Pilaf's castle all those years ago. He recalled journeying with Goku and Bulma to hunt the dragonballs, as well as his fights in the World Martial Arts Tournament, where Goku's power and ability constantly impressed him. Those were the good old days. Back then, he could actually say he was one of the strongest fighters on Earth. Though he could still make such a claim, he was so far outclassed by the others now that he'd have no chance in a fight. Still, he kept up his training, even getting a gravity chamber from Bulma.

Three minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" called Gohan. He seemingly transported himself to the door and opened it. "Ah! Yamcha!" he answered, smiling.

"Hey there, Gohan! So what's for dinner?" he asked as his took his seat at a dining table.

"Chicken, noodles, rice, eggrolls, and freshly baked bread!" Gohan answered without missing a beat.

"I just hope I made enough," replied Chi-Chi, as she placed the last bowl of food on the table.

"Hey haha, don't worry. I'm not a Saiyan!" Yamcha remembered the gargantuan appetites of the Saiyans. They all began to eat. The Ox-King decided to make conversation about half way through.

"So Yamcha, how've you been?"

"I've been extremely bored," he confided, sounding slightly depressed. "I went back to baseball, but I still keep up with training. It may sound crazy, but I miss the days when we fought bad guys. I don't miss getting holes punched through my stomach, but it was definitely better than this." He took another bite. "How about you guys?"

"We've been well. I train every day and keep up with studying. Hey, you said you still train, right?"

"Yeah, why?" he looked at Gohan, puzzled.

"Well, I need a sparring partner. Vegeta declined, and Piccolo is going to train me mentally. Vegeta gave me a gravity chamber, so we can train super hard!"

"Oh hahaha. Well, I don't know if I could keep up, but it'd definitely be a lot more fun than the dull crap I do now. So sure kid. What days do you train?"

"Every day. As soon as I eat breakfast, I train. Then, once that's done, I study."

"Oh, ok. Well, I can train every day except Saturday. Baseball games. Is that okay?"

"Awesome!" Gohan looked delighted.

"So Yamcha," Chi-Chi interrupted, "how've the others been? Have you heard anything from Tien or Chiaotzu?"

"Actually, I just saw them the other day at Master Roshi's. They've been coming around more since the Cell Games. Tien said that he also got a gravity chamber from Bulma and has been training extremely hard."

"Awesome! So I guess the only one not training is Vegeta…"Gohan sighed, looking down at his plate.

"What? Vegeta isn't training?" Yamcha was flabbergasted.

"No. He told me earlier today. He wouldn't 'explain any further' than that though," he answered, trying his best to imitate Vegeta's voice.

"Dang…" Yamcha could not form words in his mouth, because at the moment he was being hit on two sides of amazement. On one side was Vegeta not training. On the other, there were now about 45 plates and bowls stacked up on the table as Gohan continued pouring food down his throat. He had only finished two, himself. "Geez kid, you eat just like Goku!"

"Hahahaha! I know!"

Dinner eventually concluded, and they all went into the living room to catch up more. Before they could start, Goten woke up crying, so Chi-Chi had to go take care of him.

"So Ox-King, how've you been? You've been pretty quiet!"

"I've been doing very well. I come over every day to see my two grandsons!" he beamed.

"Aw, that's nice," he said comfortably. He turned back to Gohan. "So kid, back to training. What time do you want to spar? I'm pretty flexible since I never go to baseball practice."

"Mmmm." Gohan thought a minute. "How about 2:00?"

"Sure, that works."

"Thanks!"

After a little more talk, Yamcha took off. Gohan also needed to go somewhere. The thoughts and questions that plagued him last night needed answered. And he knew who could.

"Hey mom, I'll be back in a little while," Gohan said as he headed for the door.

"WAIT! You, young man, have not done any studying today!" A look of disappointment came over Gohan's face.

"Please? I won't be gone too long, and I'll study extra hard when I get back!" The look on his face told Chi-Chi that wherever he was going, it was actually important.

"Fine," she sighed, with reluctance.

"Thanks mom!"

* * *

><p>"Well kid, ready for your first day of mental training?" Piccolo asked.<p>

"Yup! So, uh, what do we do? Just meditate?"

"No." Piccolo materialized a glass cup. "Popo, could you fill this with water?"

"Of course." Mr. Popo took the cup and went to go fill it with water.

"While he's doing that, I'll explain what you're going to do, so pay attention." Gohan looked at his green mentor intently. "You already know how to use your ki for fighting, but when ki is combined with a sharp mind, you'll find yourself practically unstoppable. Harmony of the mind and body- that's what so many fighters today lack."

"That makes sense." Mr. Popo came back with the glass.

"Now Gohan, when you punch a wall, what do you imagine?"

"Imagine? Um, I kind of imagine my fist reaching the other side of the wall."

"Exactly. For telekinesis, you do the same thing, but with your ki." He set the glass of water down. "Focus your energy, and put it through the water. Place your energy on the other side of the glass. Then, just as you would manipulate an energy blast, move the energy upward, and the water should move with it."

"Ok, I'll try." Gohan stared solemnly at the cup. He extended his arm, like he was going to shoot an energy blast. After a minute or so of concentration, he started to raise his arm up. Piccolo analyzed his movements and concentration. The water started to move, when all of a sudden the glass shattered into pieces.

"Uh, Piccolo. What happened?" Confusion found its way to the young Saiyan's face.

"You're putting too much energy into it. You're not fighting, just moving something. It takes a lot less energy than you think, but a lot more concentration. Also, don't use your arm. That would only defeat the purpose. Only use your mind."

"Ok, got it." Piccolo materialized another glass, and again Mr. Popo filled it with water, and set it down. Gohan focused his energy, and placed his ki through the glass, restraining as much as he could. He then started to move the water up. It was about an inch away from the top, when the water fell back, and the glass shattered again. "Ugh!" He was beginning to grow frustrated.

"Patience, Gohan. It takes practice." He materialized yet another glass and gave it to Mr. Popo. "I think you're not concentrating hard enough. Is there something bothering you?"

"Yeah…in fact, it was actually the reason I came here." Piccolo became inquisitive. "Do you believe in…destiny?" His teacher pondered deeply for a moment, then replied.

"Hm. It's hard to say Gohan. I mean, there are some things that are just beyond our comprehension. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Gohan looked down, "Krillin was telling me that maybe it was destiny that my dad is gone, and that is was destiny why I'm the 'hero' now. I mean, in a way, it makes sense. If Raditz had never come to Earth, none of this would've ever happened. It seems like, in a way, it all lead up to me defeating Cell." He looked back up at Piccolo. "But I don't want to believe it."

"Why not?"

"Because…it makes me feel like I'm not in control. If it is destiny, then anything I ever do will have already been decided."

"I understand. You think that no matter how hard you train yourself, in the end, it might not make a difference, right?"

"Yeah. I can't bear that thought."

"Well kid, let me ask you something. Where does destiny come from?" Gohan looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, look at it like this. The way you describe it, destiny is kind of like a book. The book has already been written, and we are the characters. Right?"

"Yeah! Exactly!"

"So what I'm asking is, who or what wrote the book?"

"Huh. That's a good question. Maybe…maybe the kais?"

"I doubt it, Gohan. Let's take an example. Remember a few years ago when Vegeta and his partner came to Earth, and we fought them?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, your dad trained under King Kai. King Kai knew of the danger the Earth was in. Why didn't he intervene and stop it?"

"Maybe he's not allowed to?"

"Well, Gohan, if the kais can write destiny, they can certainly intervene in a simple affair like this. I'll tell you why: because he was not powerful enough. By the time your dad left his planet, he was already stronger than King Kai. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I believe that if destiny did exist, it would be written by someone who had the power to change it." 'And this kid,' Piccolo thought, 'has the power to change his.'

"I guess that makes sense." Piccolo slightly grinned, then began again.

"Do you remember what you told me your father said when you were going up against Cell for the last time?"

"Um, he said quite a bit. Which part?"

"He said that sometimes life is too uncertain to have regrets."

"Oh yeah! I remember."

"I think we all need to abide by that advice. The past is the past, we can't change it. Trunks proved that. But, what about the future?"

"If it was destiny, then the future can't be changed as well, right?"

"True, but you're missing the point. We don't know that destiny exists, and even if it does, we don't know what it has in store for us. And why is that?"

"Because life is too uncertain!" his student answered confidently.

"Exactly. So I say, screw destiny. As far as I'm concerned, we each control our own fate. It's better to work hard to avoid catastrophes than to sit back and say that there's nothing we can do because it has already been written."

"Wow, I never thought of that. Piccolo, you're the best!" At that, Mr. Popo came back with the glass.

"Alright Gohan, now that we've taken care of that issue, let's see what you can do."

With complete mental clarity, he concentrated his energy through the water, and slowly lifted it out of the glass. For practice, he let the water float in midair for around ten seconds, and finally, slowly let it fall back down.

"Excellent! Third try is a charm," Mr. Popo commented. Gohan laughed, proud of his new success.

"That does it for today's lesson. When you go home, just keep practicing. Tomorrow we'll work on larger objects." Piccolo could sense that Gohan still held slight doubts about the conversation they had earlier. It was of paramount importance that Gohan kept up with training, so he decided to confess his premonitions to him. "Oh by the way." His expression turned more serious.

"Yeah, Piccolo?"

"I wasn't going to tell you because I didn't want you to worry, but perhaps it would be in the best interest of you, and the Earth, if I did."

"Tell me what?"

"For the past few weeks, I've sensed some sort of evil brewing on Earth. I do not know how big of a threat it will be, or when it will show itself, but it's best to be prepared. So I strongly urge you to continue your training."

"Oh wow. That's…not good. Can you at least tell how long it's been here?" Piccolo got a grim look on his face.

"A few years. I began sensing it around the time that Cell was alleged to have come to Earth. After Namek, but before Trunks came and killed Frieza, but only recently has it began to grow. It's a slow growth for sure, but, it's best not to take any risks."

"Oh, just great. How many creations did that crazy old Doctor Gero come up with?"

"I'm not so sure this is his doing this time."

"Oh. Well, darn. Still, if only I knew where it was, I could stop it right now!"

"Don't worry. If you continue your training, I have no doubt that when it emerges, you'll have no trouble in defeating it," Piccolo responded with a confident, proud smile. He patted Gohan's head and messed up his hair.

"Hehehe, thanks Piccolo! And I promise I will keep up with my training. If you and Dad ever taught me anything, it's never to give up!" he said, raising his fist into the air while grinning.

"Well then, I guess that'll be all."

"Okie dokie. Thanks Piccolo! See ya Dende, see ya Mr. Popo!" With that, he flew home, ecstatic that he had been able to use telekinesis, and that his questions had been answered. 'Piccolo always gives the best advice.'

* * *

><p>Over the next few weeks, Gohan trained incredibly hard. He woke up at 6:00 in the morning to eat breakfast. Then, he'd head directly to the Lookout for an hour and a half of mental training and meditation, followed by a two hour workout in the gravity chamber. Then came lunch, and an hour spar with Yamcha, except on Saturdays. In a few weeks, Gohan's progress was astounding. He had mastered 750 times normal gravity, and he could now control objects as large as the Lookout itself. Because of the intense mental clarity it took to perform such feats, his overall concentration improved. Chi-Chi was very pleased, as he was completing homework with no trouble at all.<p>

About two months into his training routine, Vegeta decided to train again as well. Gohan remembered the event clearly.

_Chi-Chi was tired of doing loads of dishes, so she sent him to Capsule Corporation to ask Bulma if she had anything that could do the dishes for her. Bulma quickly came up with an idea for a machine that could handle the workload, and set right to work constructing it. Meanwhile, Vegeta came out of his room and spotted Gohan. _

"_So boy, how's your training going?" _

"_It's great! I've mastered 750 times gravity! Plus, I've been doing mental training with Piccolo, and sparring with Yamcha." Vegeta growled. He held extreme antipathy towards Yamcha. Primarily, for being a weakling, and second because of his past with Bulma. He was darned if he was going to let that pathetic Earthling train with a Saiyan. _

"_Bah! Then you're definitely being held back, sparring with such a weakling!" _

"_Uh," Gohan began, confused, "I asked you first, but you said no."_

"_Well," Vegeta slyly smiled, "now I'm saying yes. We'll fight for two hours a day."_

"_Cool! This'll be great! Is 3:30 okay?" Gohan couldn't tell Yamcha to just go away, so he decided he'd spar with Yamcha for an hour, wait a half hour for him to leave, then fight with Vegeta. _

"_Fine, why not." _

'Well,' Gohan thought, 'things are finally getting somewhat back to normal.'

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Other World, shouts so loud that the ground shook were heard.<p>

"GOKU! WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING!" King Kai shrieked, exasperated. Ever since Goku met Pikkon, his perseverance to become more powerful was unwavering. At the last tournament, the final match was declared a draw. Goku was determined to not let that happen again. Unfortunately, some of his training methods did not bode well with King Kai.

"What, King Kai? I don't understand what I did wrong? What's the problem?"

"The problem, Goku, is that you cannot wake up Grand Kai at 1:00 in the morning to ask him to spar!" King Kai said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Do you not have any common sense?" He was stunned. How was it that one of the strongest warriors he had ever seen lacked what was considered to be common? 'Well' he thought to himself, 'I guess common sense just isn't so common anymore.' Bubbles and Gregory stood behind King Kai, falling over laughing.

"Oh, uh. Well, gee, sorry King Kai. But I didn't know what else to do. I've finally reached Super Saiyan 2, and really wanted to try it out against a formidable opponent. And who better than Grand Kai?" Goku smiled innocently, hoping to appease his friend.

"Well you'll get your chance now, you dimwit!"

"What do you mean King Kai?"

"Grand Kai's punishment for you it to spend a week in HFIL. Goku, honestly. Someone as heroic as you does not need to be in HFIL. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"It sure does!" Goku's expression turned to pure enthusiasm.

"Huh? Really?" King Kai was perplexed. He honestly thought Goku was so simple-minded that he would not have learned his lesson so easily.

"Yup! It means I get to test my skills on Cell again! This is exciting!" King Kai fell over.

"Well, I guess this is what they mean by living it up! HEHEHEHE! Get it?" King Kai snorted, laughing at his own joke.

"Uh…no?"

"YOU'RE DEAD GOKU! BUT YOU'RE LIVING IT UP!" King Kai got really agitated when people didn't get his jokes.

"Wait, but King Kai." Goku scratched his head, and a look of utter bewilderment came over his face. "So what you're saying is that if I go to HFIL I'll come back to life?" Another rumble was felt when King Kai fell over again.

King Kai pulled himself back to his feet. "Well Goku, I think you'd better get going."

"Okay!" Goku started to leave, then stopped and turned back to King Kai. "Oh wait. Uh, when one week is over, how do I get out?"

"When Grand Kai sentences someone to HFIL, once the sentence is complete, they can just fly right out of there."

"But, when I fell off Snake Way a while back, I couldn't get out."

"Goku, did you not hear a word I said? Grand Kai can do whatever he wants, including letting someone out. Got it?"

"Okay! Thanks King Kai!" With that, Goku flew down to the Home for Infinite Losers.


	4. Chapter 4: HFIL

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z

Chapter 4: HFIL

As Goku headed towards the Home for Infinite Losers, thoughts flooded his mind. Thoughts of excitement, as well as strategy.

'Hmm. I have to spend a week down there, but I have to avoid being killed again, or I won't exist in this realm. Since most of the people down there really hate me, they might try to do something to me while I'm sleeping. That means I won't be getting a lot of sleep.' A frown found its way to Goku's face.

'But wow! Cell wasn't a match for Gohan in Super Saiyan 2. I wonder how I'll fare. Well, we'll see soon enough!' Fire appeared in his eye, and that "I'm about to engage in a colossal battle" smile replaced his previous frown. 'Almost there!'

* * *

><p>Days passed by tritely in HFIL. The Ginyu Force had posing contests every week, judged by Frieza and King Cold. The winner received a week's supply of chocolate, so the members practiced very hard. Cell and others were kept entertained by a large crystal ball that acted as a television with universal reception. There really wasn't much else to do.<p>

Today was a typical day. The entire villain gang was watching a show called Days of our Dead Lives. "Oh come on!" Cell hollered. "There's no way Vivian would break up with Jeff!" The other bad guys nodded in concurrence.

"Well, if my female companion ever betrayed me like that, I'd send her into oblivion!" King Cold gave his opinion, speaking as eloquently as ever.

"Father, we really don't need your op-" Frieza couldn't finish his sentence. His wide eyes were fixed on an object way above King Cold.

"What is it son? Cat got your tongue? Hahaha." King Cold glanced over to the spot where Frieza was looking, and instantly froze in fear. "GOKU!" This immediately grabbed the attention of the other villains. They all turned around to see Goku hovering above. Though none would admit it, all were terrified, with the exception of Cell.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Is that really you Goku?"

"That's right, Cell!"

"Why exactly are you down here? Huh? Not satisfied being killed once?"

"Actually, I've been dead twice. And no, I came for a rematch. That and uh…I was sentenced to come down here for a week." He scratched the back of his head, giggling.

"WHAT! AHAHA! The mighty monkey has actually been naughty? This is better than television!" Frieza rolled over laughing.

"Speak for yourself," Cell said, then turning back to Goku. "Do you realize how inconsiderate you are?"

"Uhh…what?"

"YOU ARE MAKING ME MISS MY PROGRAM!" he roared. Everyone in HFIL fell down.

"Your program?" Goku innocently inquired.

"Yes, Goku, my PROGRAM! That does it," he hissed. "You've angered me for the last time. Prepare to fight!" Cell then flew up towards Goku and hovered about ten feet from him. "AHHHHHHHHH!" Cell began powering up.

Frieza and the other villains watched with complete confidence in their partner's powers. After a minute or so of screaming at the top of his lungs, Cell braced into fighting position. "So, Goku, do you like what you see?"

Goku looked amused. "Heh. Well, maybe this isn't going to be much of a challenge after all!"

"WHAT!" Nothing infuriated Cell more than someone degrading his power. "Ahahaha, well then, Goku. If you're so powerful, let's see what you got!"

"You betcha!" Goku turned Super Saiyan, and began smiling with immense confidence. Then, he started roaring, a bright aura surrounded his body. The land beneath started to crack, and the winds alone were enough to send the Ginyu Force flying. Electricity intensified around his body, sending sparks everywhere. His hair raised up more vertically than before, and his muscle mass increased as well.

Cell looked worried, then amused. "You Saiyans always make the same mistake. Don't think you can beat me just by powering up!"

The other villains, however, were not so cocky. Frieza and his father were trembling, and Dr. Gero, in his hatred for Goku, was growling like a mad dog.

Finally, Goku stopped yelling. "Well then, Goku. Shall we commence?"

"Be my guest." At that, Cell flew at the powered up Saiyan, quickly transporting behind him. He took a kick right at Goku's back.

"Got you!" Unfortunately for him, the kick went right through Goku. 'Ah, of course. After image.'

He spotted Goku and rushed towards him. "You've certainly gotten faster! Practicing escape moves?" he sneered. A punch landed on the Saiyan's face, with Goku not even trying to block it.

"Yeah! Get him Cell!" the other villains cheered.

Goku's head turned back around, facing Cell. He was…smiling.

"What? Impossible!"

"My turn!" Goku punched Cell square in the stomach. The android's eyes bulged, saliva beginning to fizz out of his mouth.

"Ughhh…argh." He fell back to the ground. The other bad guys looked as though they were constipated. Cell did not get back up. He was writhing in agony all over, cursing the 'wretched excuse of a man'.

Goku's smile twisted into a frown. "Aw, come on! I came down here for a fight!" Frieza grimaced and decided to take the offensive.

"YOU STUPID MONKEY! DIEEE!" he shouted as he flew and punched Goku in the face. The "monkey" did not even flinch, and was not affected in the least. "Uhhh…" Frieza gasped as he took a few steps back in the air. "Fine! Chew on this!" He formed two pinkish energy disks and flung them at Goku, who caught them without any effort. "Huh! What?" The demonic lizard was in complete disbelief. Goku made the disks vanish, then appeared right in front of his old adversary. "Wait!" Goku gave him a twirling kick right in the torso, sending him flying to the ground. Just like Cell, he did not get up. King Cold just stared, not wanting to become a victim himself. The Ginyu Force had finally returned after being blown away by Goku's transformation, but instead of fighting him, decided to ask a question.

"Hey, monkey boy!" Jeice blurted. Our spikey headed hero turned to face him.

"My name is Goku. What do you want?" Jeice gulped in fear, trying to form his question.

"Oh uh, I was wondering. What ever happened to our captain? Why's he not here?"

Goku looked puzzled. 'Oh wow, that's right. Vegeta killed all of them before they could see the end of the fight. Hahaha, perfect, I'll mess with them a bit.'

"Oh, Captain Ginyu? King Yemma judged him as a good person, and sent him above!" he grinned.

"What? No way!" Burter was dumbfounded. "You're lying!"

"Ahahaha! Well, I was joking. He's still on Earth. I see him hopping around sometimes!"

"Wait, what? Don't tell me he switched sides!" Jeice was unbelieving. How could Captain Ginyu be living on Earth? He was like them, so Vegeta or Goku would have killed him!

"Oh, he switched alright. Into a frog!" Now they were all really confused. Seeing their disbelief, he told them what happened. 'Oh boy,' Goku thought. 'Nobody down here is a challenge. There goes my fun. This is going to be a long week.'

* * *

><p>For the next week, Goku trained in solitude in HFIL. Despite having extreme hatred towards Goku, after his recent showing of power, all of them knew they couldn't defeat him, and decided to leave him alone. Once the week was done, he returned to Other World, where King Kai was waiting for him.<p>

"So, Goku. How was it?" he snickered.

"Absolutely horrible, King Kai!" His blue friend was pleased to hear this. 'Maybe he's finally learned!'

"Did you learn your lesson?" He expected a whiney "Yes, King Kai" from Goku. Surprisingly, that's not what he got.

"I sure did. Never show your full strength at the beginning of a fight, or everyone will give up!" King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory all fell over.


	5. Chapter 5: High School?

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 5: High School?

Six more years elapsed with no incidents. It has now been seven years since the Cell Games, and Gohan, now 18, was fed up.

"What's wrong, Gohan?" his mother asked, concerned.

"I'm just incredibly frustrated, that's all." Chi-Chi was now apprehensive. Gohan was never frustrated. Something must be wrong. The expression he wore was one of seemingly uncontrollable rage.

"Would you care to elaborate, sweetie?"

"It's just…ughhh!"

"What is it, son?" Gohan growled. After a moment, he replied.

"Well, for six years I've been doing the same banal activities every day. I mastered mental training years ago, the gravity chamber does not provide a challenge for me, it seems like sparring with Vegeta is even getting old. I trained my Super Saiyan 2 abilities by staying powered up for weeks at a time, to where it felt natural. And yet, it hasn't paid off in the least!" he banged his fists on the table, nearly breaking it.

"What do you mean? You're stronger than ever!"

"Yeah, but I haven't reached the next level. I can feel it. I've felt it for years now, like it's just a little push away, but I just can't reach it. And for the last year, I haven't really improved. I've been pushing myself to the maximum, but it's still too easy, and so I haven't gotten much stronger. I've even been training Goten now, but he's getting tired of it. Meanwhile, I'm completely bored. Piccolo told me there was some kind of evil, and now that I've trained my mind, I can feel it as well, but I can't do anything about it. I just…feel like I have no purpose. I have nothing to protect, I have nothing to aim towards. Even my studies are boring me, I'm so far ahead that I could probably write a thesis in any subject now. I feel lost." Tears of defeat formed in his eyes.

Hearing this made Chi-Chi feel worthless. How could she help her son? She couldn't give him fighting advice, and now, she couldn't even give him studying advice. It was times like this when she really missed Goku most. He always knew what to do. Every time Gohan felt bad, Goku would take him out and do something like fishing or fighting.

"Hey Gohan, why don't you go fishing?" she suggested. Gohan looked up at his mother.

"Nah. It's just…not that fun anymore." Chi-Chi sighed.

"Ooh ooh! I have an idea Gohan!" Goten, now seven years old, chimed in. He hero worshipped his big brother, and absolutely hated seeing him down. "I was watching a movie the other day, and when the boy was bored, he went on something called a date!" Gohan blushed.

"I, uh, never considered that. That's not really an option, though, Goten." Goten looked down, feeling like he'd failed to help his brother. Seeing this, Gohan added, "Good idea, though!" and patted him on the head.

"Actually, Gohan, that really was a good idea!" Chi-Chi perked up.

"Huh?"

"Well, the concept, at least. I think you need to interact with people your age. You've always hung around the adults and helped them fight and train, and now you've been hanging out with Goten. You have NEVER interacted with anyone your age."

"Yeah I have," Gohan countered. "Dende is around my age."

"Gohan…little green men from strange planets don't count."

'Uh oh,' Gohan thought, 'Dende's not gonna like to hear that one!'

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?"

"What do you think of that idea?"

"Well it's like you said, the concept is good, but again, it's not an option."

"And why not?"

"I don't know anyone my age."

Chi-Chi thought a moment, and it hit her.

"I'VE GOT IT!"

"Huh? What do you got Mommy?" Goten asked, confused.

"Why don't you go to high school?"

"Mom I…huh." Gohan was about to immediately protest, when the idea suddenly sunk in. High school would definitely be a change from his hackneyed schedule. "Actually, that sounds like a great idea!"

"Well, of course," she said proudly. "Now, school has already started this year, so you're going to have to be 'the new kid'", she warned.

"I'm fine with that! So, uh, where's the nearest high school?"

"Hm, I don't really know, but I know someone who does! Why don't you go ask Bulma? She'll know all about how to get you enrolled."

"Good idea, mom! Alright, I'll go right now!"

"Good luck, big brother!" Goten said.

"Thanks. See ya later!" He rushed out the door and headed to Capsule Corporation.

* * *

><p>"And that's the story, Bulma! So, do you think you can help me?"<p>

"Of course! I'm not a genius for nothing, ya know." Bulma winked. She walked over to her computer and typed something in. "Hmm. Looks like the nearest high school to your house is Orange Star High School."

"Great! So, what do I do?" Bulma examined him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do I just show up to a class or what?"

'Wow, can he really be asking me this? Such a smart kid, but knows nothing about society. I guess that's what happens when Goku is your father,' she thought.

"Okay," she began, "you have to enroll. Basically, you go talk to the principal of the school, and explain your situation. You tell them you've been homeschooled, and they will most likely give you some entrance exams to see what classes you should take. Then you just follow their instructions. Got it?"

"Yeah, I think so. Should I go right now?"

"Up to you, kid."

'Weird,' Gohan thought, 'I'm 18 and she still calls me kid.' He smiled.

"Alrighty then. Thanks Bulma! See ya-oh wait." He began to leave, then remembered something very important. "Uh…where is this high school?"

"Silly. Let me get you some directions."

"Oh hey, one more thing."

"What is it, Gohan?"

"Well, if I'm going to go, I don't want to go dressed like this. Do you have anything I can wear? And preferably something that hides my muscles?" he requested.

Bulma smiled. "Of course! I'll be back in a minute." Gohan sat down, excited at the prospect of going to high school. Finally, something fun! Bulma returned a couple minutes later with printed out directions and an outfit that even made Gohan cringe.

"Do you like? It's formal, but loose," she winked again, sure of her fashion sense.

Gohan blushed, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "Oh uh, yeah, hehe. It's nice." Just then, they heard a voice entering from the door.

"Woman, what are you thinking?" the prince of Saiyans snarled.

"What?"

"You're going to send the boy into society looking like a feeble minded diplomat from the planet Pioh! Are you mad!"

"Urgh! Well I don't see you coming up with anything better!" she howled. She couldn't stand it when Vegeta criticized her.

"Actually, here's my act of charity for today." He threw a Saiyan style tuxedo at Gohan. It was...actually decent looking. It was formal, but it didn't show off his muscles.

"Ah! Thanks Vegeta!" Gohan commented. Bulma walked over to Vegeta.

"Well, why haven't YOU ever worn anything that sexy?" she interrogated. Vegeta slightly blushed.

"Woman! This is neither the time nor place for your sensual innuendos!" Then, he whisphered something into Bulma's ear, making her blush. Gohan, with his Saiyan hearing, only heard the word "tonight", and Vegeta walked away.

"Well, go ahead! Try it on!" Bulma urged.

He came out a few minutes later. "Lookin' sharp!" Trunks ran up behind her, and decided to comment as well.

"Cool, Gohan!"

"Haha, thanks guys! Well, I should get going now. See ya!" With that, he flew off.

* * *

><p>About an hour later, Gohan landed in front of Orange Star High School.<p>

"Huh, so this is what a high school looks like." It was a lot bigger than Gohan had expected. As he walked through the halls, he couldn't help but analyze everything and look around. He'd never been in a place like this. 'Hm, let's see. I need to find the…what was it? Oh yeah, principal's office!' he thought, still looking around. He heard the sound of running from around the corner but was too distracted to look in its direction, or to move. Without warning, a girl crashed into him and fell down.

"ERRRR! WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE-" the girl began, but was cut off when she held her head up to see Gohan.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Here." He extended his arm out to help her up. Awkwardly, they stared at each other for a couple of seconds. The girl had a large white shirt, black shorts, black fighting gloves, and pigtails. But, it wasn't any of those qualities that Gohan had noticed. 'Wow,' he thought, 'her eyes are…amazing. And…she smells good.' Finally, the girl was able to regain her composure and stand back up.

"Thanks," she said unenthusiastically. She then began to walk away in some sort of trance.

"Oh uh, excuse me, miss!" Gohan called after her.

"Yeah, what?" She turned back to face him.

"Could you please show me where the principal's office is?"

"Why? Have you been being bad?" she glanced, suspiciously.

"Oh, no. I'm here to enroll."

"Oh, okay. Well," she pointed, "keep going straight, and it's the second door on your right."

"Thank you!" With that he ran towards the principal's office.

'I wonder who that was? He was kind of…cute,' the girl thought as she continued back to class. 'No! I can't think like that! I don't even know him. Oh well.' She verbally sighed as she opened the door to her class.

* * *

><p>"So you've been homeschooled, eh?" the elderly, nearly bald, principal asked.<p>

"Yes sir."

" 'Sir'? Finally! Someone with proper manners! This school could sure use a young man like yourself!" Gohan smiled and nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

'Oh great, so people here aren't that nice.' "So, uh, what do I do from here?"

"Well, we have to place you into classes. Since you've been homeschooled, we'll have to give you entrance exams. Are you busy right now?"

"Oh, no sir. I'm not."

"Good! Then give me a moment to print them out. I'll be back in a second." The elderly man got up and went into the printer room, leaving Gohan to his thoughts.

'I wonder how difficult these will be?' He turned a bit in his seat. 'Man, that girl…so that's what girls my age look like? Wait, what am I thinking? I can't be distracted at a time like this! Ummm…..Frieza!' "Phew," he said aloud, "got my concentration back." Just then the principal returned.

"Okay, Gohan. Here are the exams for math, science, social studies, and English. You'll have one hour to complete each one. Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes sir. Thank you!"

"Alright then. Let me show you to a quiet room." He led the Saiyan to a room a few feet away and turned the light on. "Just bring them to me when you're done. You have four hours. Good luck, and begin."

* * *

><p>The principal's mouth was on the floor when forty minutes later, the young man was back in his office with all four exams completed.<p>

"But…but…you're really done?"

"Uh," he looked innocently at the principal, "yes sir." He sat the stack of papers down on the man's desk. "So, what now?"

The man could not form a proper response. 'This boy is either a genius or a complete idiot.' "Oh, I have to grade these. I'm rather busy right now, so could you come back in about an hour?"

"Yes, sir." Gohan nodded and walked out of the office. 'Huh. What do I do now? Guess I'll go grab some lunch.'

* * *

><p>As he consumed his 'miniscule' lunch of ten bowls of soup at a small café, he heard gunshots ring out. He glanced through the window to see a bank on the other side of the street, and masked men were exiting.<p>

"Er, evil just never rests!" He stood up, ready to go pummel them. 'Wait, I can't go out and stop them like this or people might recognize me.' He pondered for a moment, then ran into the bathroom, and less than a second later, ran back out in his Super Saiyan form.

"Nobody move or this old man is going to retire!" yelled one of the robbers, holding an elderly man at gunpoint. The police did not know what to do. Luckily, a Super Saiyan was on the case!

"So, you delight in hurting others?" Gohan casually asked. The robber turned around.

"Huh? Hey punk, stay outta this or you'll be sorry!" Gohan chuckled. The robbers looked confused. "Alright blondie, eat this!" The robber pointed his gun towards the hero and shot, but…the bullets went right through! "WHAT?"

Gohan appeared behind the man, and with just his index finger, hit the man in the back, knocking him unconscious. The other robbers were now wide-eyed. The Super Saiyan took a fighting stance, and threw a punch in the air, and the force knocked all of the robbers out. 'Well,' he thought, 'a bit anticlimactic, but I guess my job here is done.' He then flew off, leaving every witness speechless.

* * *

><p>Not too long after that, a young girl landed her yellow helicopter in front of the bank, determined to punish the robbers. "Alright, chief! What's the situation?" she hurriedly asked.<p>

The chief looked at her as though he'd seen a ghost. "Uh, chief?"

"Well…uh, Videl. They've uh…already been apprehended." The girl, now revealed to be Videl, was shocked.

"Wow. You mean you guys were actually able to resolve a situation yourselves for once?" she asked sarcastically, placing her hands on her hips.

"Nope. Some young man did." Videl's expression turned to awe and curiosity.

"Huh? What? Who was he?"

"I don't really know. He didn't give a name. His hair was golden, had teal eyes, and his body seemed to be glowing golden, too! I've never seen moves like he pulled. He moved so fast, nobody could tell what was going on!"

"So, a golden fighter, huh?" She grinned. 'Well, I'll find out who you are.'

* * *

><p>"So, sir, how did I do?" The principal took off his glasses and eyed Gohan seriously.<p>

"Well…you got perfect scores on every test. You are quite impressive."

"Cool! So, does that mean I can enroll?"

"Of course it does! Though I'm not sure why you even want to!"

"Huh? Why's that?"

"Because you've already surpassed a high school curriculum! But I guess if you really want to attend, we can place you in our most challenging courses." The man picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to Gohan. "Here's your daily schedule. Since school is almost out for today, you can start tomorrow. First, however, you need to fill out some paperwork." He handed the young scholar some papers. Gohan sat down, and started to work.

After about ten minutes, he finished. "Excellent! That should do it. You're free to go. Show up to my office at 7:15 tomorrow morning, and we'll get you started, okay?"

"Great! Thank you very much!" Gohan ran out of the office and flew home, excited to tell his family the news.

* * *

><p>"THAT'S EXCELLENT!" Chi-Chi was breaking down bawling, proud of her son's academic accomplishments.<p>

"So, big brother, does that mean we can't play anymore?" Goten appeared distraught at this news. His older brother rubbed his head to comfort him.

"Of course not, squirt! We'll play every day! I'm only going to be gone a few hours each day. So all this means is that you have to help mom around the house. Okay?" The miniature Goku lightened up.

"Mkay!"

"So, Gohan, what classes are you taking?" his caring grandfather inquired.

"Uh, let's see here." He took the paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. "Looks like calculus, literature, physics, computer programming, physical education, macroeconomics, and world history."

"Oh my! Those sound challenging!"

"Eh. Not really. I've known calculus and physics since I was 12. I've learned a lot of history from Piccolo, and quite a bit of programming from Bulma. Plus, mom's taught me literature since before I can remember. The only new subject really is macroeconomics," he said, undauntedly.

"Well son, you better get to bed! You've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Okay, mom!" Chi-Chi kissed her son on the forehead, and he headed off to bed.

"I am so proud of that boy," Chi-Chi beamed.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, high above the Earth, observations were being made.<p>

"I don't like this, Dende," Piccolo muttered, a worried frown betraying his ever-confident demeanor.

"I know. I feel it, too."

"I guess we won't have to wait too much longer to find out what that power is."


	6. Chapter 6: The First Day

**Hey everyone! I'd really like to extend my most sincere thanks to everyone who has read or reviewed the story. It means a great deal to me, and I appreciate it to no end. Special shout out to SierraLarson, who reviewed every chapter! Thanks so much!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 6: The First Day

7:15 the next day, Gohan walked into the principal's office, thrilled at the new journey on which he'd soon be embarking: high school. Immediately, the elderly man recognized Gohan from the day before.

"Ah, good. Great to see a punctual student for once. Well then, follow me and I'll show you to your first class." After walking for a few minutes, the man stopped. "Alright, this is it." He opened a door and went inside, followed in suit by Gohan. It was a rather large lecture style hall full of students. The professor, a somewhat middle aged man, nodded to the principal.

"Alright students, listen up!" the professor announced. "We have a new student to our class. He perfected all of his entrance exams. Pay attention, and you could learn something from this young man! Well, son, introduce yourself." Gohan stepped forward, blushing.

"Oh uh, hello everyone. My name is Gohan. Nice to meet you all," he slightly bowed. At this, a jock with long blonde hair shouted "Nerd!".

"Sharpner, shut up!" someone else called out.

"Hey hey hey! Settle down, class! Gohan, there seems to be only seat open. Go sit next to Erasa. Erasa, raise your hand." A blond girl with blue eyes raised her hand, and Gohan recognized her as the one who told "Sharpner" to shut up. The young warrior did as he was told and took his seat. The girl stared at him.

"Hi! I'm Erasa, nice to meet you!" she whispered. Gohan rubbed his neck.

"Nice to meet you, too!" The professor, now revealed to be Mr. Detweiler, was giving a lecture on relativity. Gohan assumed this was physics class. Most people seemed to be taking notes. 'Should I take notes, too?' he mentally asked himself. He looked up at the board. 'Mm…this stuff is easy. I guess not.'

All the while, the only other person who was not taking notes gazed upon Gohan, analyzing his every movement.

'Huh. That's the guy I ran into yesterday, no doubt. Gohan, hm? Why does that name sound familiar? By his introduction, he seems nervous. Either he's shy, or…he's hiding something. Why's he not taking notes? Does he know this stuff? Or is he just trying to show off? He's hard to read. But…he's definitely nice to look at. He's not as muscular as the other boys, but there's just something about him. WAIT!' she looked back down to her textbook. 'I can't allow myself to think like that. A true fighter is never distracted. I just won't look at him anymore.' As if a newly formed habit, Videl glanced at Gohan again. She was shocked, however, to find him staring back at her. He gave a nervous smile and a wave, and looked back down to his textbook. Her eyes narrowed, now suspicious. 'What's he up to?' She looked back at the professor to feign attention. 'Well whatever it is, I'm going to find out,' she humbly smiled.

* * *

><p>The next few classes went pretty well. Gohan was pleasantly dismayed to find that he had all the same classes as the girl he met yesterday. What a coincidence. Finally came Gohan's favorite class of the day: lunch. He didn't feel comfortable yet interacting with anyone, so he found a nice spot under a tree outside. He took out his lunch, which was not even going to be enough to put a dent in him, and began eating. He had wanted to bring more, even providing a capsule for his mom, but she insisted that he eat "normal" amounts. Apparently, he had horrible table manners when he ate until he was satisfied, so to fit in, he should restrain his immense hunger.<p>

Once he finished his meal, he laid down staring up at the clouds. Such a boring day. His classes were easy, and so far, his goal to interact with people his age was turning up short. Just then a group of geeky looking people came up to him.

"Hey, you're Gohan, right?" one of the students with a ball hat and braces asked. The Saiyan sat up.

"Yeah, that's me. Why?"

"Oh, hi. We're uh, on the math team. We heard about your perfect scores, so we were wondering if you'd be interested in joining. You'd be a terrific asset!" Gohan was taken aback. Wow, finally some interaction. Not exactly the interaction he had in mind, but interaction, nonetheless.

"Oh wow. Um, I'm kind of busy on weekdays. What's involved?"

"Well, we go to competitions every two Saturdays and compete against the other schools in the region." Gohan perked up. Competition? He loved competition!

"What's the structure of the competition?" he inquired curiously. One of the students smirked, knowing they had piqued his fascination.

"We meet up at the host school, and take an hour long individual. It has 30 questions. You get four points for a right answer, negative one point for a wrong answer, and nothing for a blank answer. So the max score you can get is 120. Then we take a team round. Four of us make the team, and then we try to answer 12 questions as quickly as we can. Trophies are given out to the top 15 individuals, and the top 5 teams."

"Wow! That sounds fun! How does Orange Star usually do?"

"Well," one of them looked down, ashamedly. "We possess the dedication, but our performance is lacking, to say the least." He looked back up. "But with you on the team, I have a feeling we might have a chance for once!" Gohan experienced a surge of pure excitement. For once, he had found something to do that would test the extents of his hard work without showing off his powers, and he'd interact with people at the same time! Perfect!

"Sounds great, guys. I'm in!" he cheerfully answered.

"YES!" came a synchronized shout of success from the team of nerds.

"So uh, what are your names?"

"I'm Andrew, the president of the club." He pointed to another guy with poofy light yellow hair and pure white skin. "This is Joseph." Then he pointed to another guy with brown skin and black hair. "This is Mahesh." Finally, he pointed to the only girl in the group. "This is Emily."

"Ah! Nice to meet you all! Oh, and one more question. What kind of math is on the tests?"

"You're in calculus right? So you'll take a calculus individual test. We're all in calculus as well. Except for Emily, she's in statistics."

"Cool. So, I guess I'll see you guys Saturday!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, from inside the lunchroom, a group of spectators were observing the situation.<p>

"Huh. Looks like nerd boy found some acquaintances!" Sharpner mocked.

"Oh, shut up! You're just jealous cuz you're not as smart as him!" Erasa commented.

"Yeah, whatever." He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"You're not as cute as him, either!"

"WHAT! I'm ten times better looking than that geek!" The jock didn't mind if someone belittled his intelligence, because he saw no relevance in it anyway. But if someone insulted his dazzling looks, he became infuriated.

"Videl, what's _your_ opinion on the matter?" She glanced over to the female fighter, only to see her staring outside. She received no response. "Uh, Videl?" Still no response. "Earth to Videl!"

"Oh, what? Sorry." Erasa giggled, her girl instincts told her what Videl was looking at.

"I said, Gohan is better looking than Sharpner isn't he?"

Videl quickly answered "Meh, they both need work." She was too proud to admit her true opinion. 'Gohan is attractive. He's not like any nerd I know, and he's better looking than all of the athletes!'

"Aw come on! You can't be serious!" Sharpner was bewildered. Two girls in a row disrespected his beauty!

"Hey, look!" Erasa pointed. "The nerds are leaving Gohan. Maybe we should go say hello!" she suggested.

"Erasa, has anyone told you that you're too friendly for your own good?" criticized Sharpner.

"There's nothing wrong with being nice! Now let's go!"

* * *

><p>Gohan sat there thinking. 'I never in a million years expected to compete for math! Mom is gonna be psyched! I wish I could tell Dad. I know what his reaction would be.' He laid back down and looked up at the sky. 'He'd do that laugh he always does, scratch his head, and say "That's great, Gohan!", then pat me on shoulder. Dad…I miss you so much.' A couple moments later, another group of students walked up to Gohan.<p>

"Hey, Gohan!" He sat back up and saw…what's her name again? Oh yeah, Erasa.

"Hey, Erasa! What's up?" The jovial girl plopped down next to Gohan, a little more close than he was comfortable with.

"Ah, nothing much. By the way," she pointed to the jock, "this is Sharpner."

"Nice to meet you!" Gohan said. Then she pointed to the pigtailed girl.

"And this is Videl!"

"Oh yeah! You're the girl I met yesterday, right? Nice to officially meet you!"

"Same," was all she replied, unenthusiastically. Videl and Sharpner took a seat as well.

"So Gohan, what did that other group of people want?" Erasa, nosy as ever, asked.

"Oh. They asked me to join the math team! The first competition is this Saturday!" he joyfully replied.

Sharpner chuckled. "Sticking to academics, eh? Guess you can't handle the physical stuff."

Gohan looked confused. "What? I can handle physical stuff, but they asked me to, so I said yes."

Sharpner sneered again. "A scrawny guy like you handling physical stuff? Puh-lease!" he rolled his eyes.

'Oh well,' the Saiyan thought. 'I guess you can't expect everyone to be nice. Although I bet if he even got a glimpse of Frieza he'd pass out. And...what's her problem?' He glanced over at Videl, who had been eyeing him the entire time. 'Why does she keep staring at me?'

"Um. Is there something on my face?" he cluelessly asked. Videl was startled by this.

"What?"

"Oh, uh…it's just, you were looking at me, so I thought something might have gotten on my face," he confessed, blushing.

Her face turned blood red. "I wasn't looking at you, you idiot!"

'Gosh, I wonder what her problem is? All I did was ask a question. I'm not an idiot. I bet she didn't have a good breakfast. Oh well.'

"Oh...I apologize for my mistake," he bowed his head sincerely.

"Aw come on, it's okay. Right Videl?" Erasa, ever the socialite, tried to assuage the situation.

"Yeah, sure." She crossed her arms, and looked away. 'There's only one reason why someone doesn't want people looking at them. They're hiding something. There's something hidden under that innocent smile, Gohan, and I swear I'm going to find out what.'

"So," Gohan tried to make conversation. "What classes do you guys have next?"

"Sharpner and I have oceanography," Erasa replied. "Booooring." Gohan forced a laugh.

"What about you Videl?"

"I have literature. Even more boring!"

"Oh hey, me too! Looks like we have the same schedule so far!"

"Lucky me," she replied sarcastically.

'Dang, I really wonder why she dislikes me so much. I didn't do anything to her. Geez.'

"So guys, changing this dull conversation. Did ya hear about the Gold Fighter?" Sharpner interrupted.

"Gold Fighter?" Gohan asked.

"Whoa Gohan, do you live in the dark ages?" Erasa asked.

"I guess so," he rubbed his neck.

"Well basically, there was a bank robbery yesterday. This guy with golden hair and teal eyes showed up and stopped them with some kind of super powers!" Erasa squeeled.

'Wow…news spreads fast around here. Oh well. Better play it off.'

"Oh wow. Super powers huh?"

"No way." Everyone turned towards Videl. "There's no such thing as super powers. It's all a trick."

"I agree, it has to be. He might be really strong, but super powers? Come on." Sharpner commentated.

'Wow. These people are really closed minded,' Gohan thought.

"Well, people said they saw it, so I believe it, no matter how naïve it might be." Erasa was always cheerful.

'Finally, someone understands.'

"Oh hey. The bell is going to ring in about five minutes. Videl, can you come with me to the bathroom?" Erasa hinted.

'Girls go with each other to the bathrooms?' Gohan scratched his head. 'Now I understand what Vegeta meant when he said that the female species was an enigma!'

Once inside the bathroom, the pestering began.

"So Videl, be honest. Gohan's cute, isn't he?" Videl was surprised by the question.

"No, I said before he's not."

"I saw you staring at him while in physics, and again at lunch. Come on. I think he's a total hottie!" she confessed. Erasa was trying her best to get Videl to admit it. For three years, her goal was to get Videl a boyfriend, and she finally saw her opportunity.

"Erasa, it's not like that. I just think he's hiding something. That's all!" she barked.

"Ooookay, if you say so." The blond girl was a pro at this stuff. Her friend couldn't fool her. 'You think he's cute, and you know it,' she thought, smirking. "So, let's get back to lunch!"

Erasa and Videl had just returned when the bell rung. "Well, better get to class." She nudged Videl without Gohan noticing.

"Hey Gohan," Videl started. "You have the same class as me right?" Gohan nodded. "Alright," she smiled. "Well, come on."

'Wait, first she's mean to me, now she's nice? There definitely needs to be a class on girls, because I really don't understand them…huh. Strange. She…has a nice smile.' He smiled back, and followed along.

* * *

><p>Literature was incredibly boring. The professor was on a rant about Ernest Hemingway. Gohan stared out the window while daydreaming, his thoughts meandering to "the good old days" when fighting Frieza and Cell. His thoughts were interrupted, as well as the rant, when a voice was heard a few feet away.<p>

"Videl! Videl!" The voice came from a watch on Videl's wrist.

"Yes chief, come in," the girl replied back.

"We need you! Some anarchist punk has a tank and is riding around destroying things! We can't even get close to it!"

"I'm on my way. Excuse me professor!" She ran down the aisle and out the door. Puzzlement found its way to Gohan's face. He turned to Erasa.

"Uh, what was that about?"

"Oh, silly. Videl is a martial artist, so she helps police fight the bad guys." Shock replaced the puzzlement.

"BY HERSELF!"

"Gohan," Sharpner interrupted, smiling confidently, "there's no need to worry, she's a pro. She can lift more weights than everyone here combined."

'I don't care how many weights she can lift, that can't defend her against weapons! I've got to help.' He looked around. He didn't want to bring any attention to himself or skip class. What a predicament. 'Hey, I know! I'll just use my telekinesis! Gotta love Piccolo!' He then concentrated his powers, attempting to cause the building to shake. Sure enough, a couple seconds later, people were screaming and running everywhere. A man came on the intercom.

"EVERYONE! EVACUATE THE BUILDING! SCHOOL IS ADJOURNED FOR TODAY!" Gohan recognized the voice as that of the principal.

'Perfect!'

Gohan jolted to the top floor of the building, turned Super Saiyan, and decided to go stop the anarchist. 'Oh wait. I have no idea where he is.' He looked around and saw some smoke, as well as screaming. 'I do now!'

* * *

><p>"What's that up there!" one of the police shouted, pointed to the sky.<p>

"It's Videl's helicopter!" another one announced. "Yay Videl!" came a synchronized chant from the squad.

Videl, from her helicopter, grinned and gave them a valiant thumbs up. The Gold Fighter was nearing the scene. He spotted a helicopter approaching the tank from the top and figured it must be the police. This assumption was thrown out the window when he heard the police cheering for Videl.

'Great! I can't let her see me.' He watched as she neared the tank and prepared to jump out of her helicopter onto it. 'Wow, she's so brave. You don't see that every day. Sharpner was right. She is a pro!' He found himself in a trance impressed by the bravery of this young girl. The trance was shattered, however, when he saw the tank turret aiming for Videl's helicopter, with the girl hanging off the side to jump.

"What! NOOOO!" he shouted. The turret fired at the helicopter, blowing it up. Luckily, Gohan was faster than the bomb, and rescued Videl just as the helicopter blew up. She was slightly dizzy and disoriented, and only halfway conscious, but wasn't seriously hurt. The hero turned his head as far away from Videl as possible so she wouldn't see him, while carrying her down to the squad. Videl must have suffered more head trauma than she thought, because she felt like she enjoyed the trip down. The Gold Fighter had a steady hold on her, and she felt safe.

Carefully, Gohan sat Videl down in the seat of an open police car for her to recover. He then flew off to stop the crazed madman. The driver of the tank was extremely surprised when a young man with golden hair and teal eyes appeared out of nowhere in front of the tank, and without a single weapon.

"Stupid kid!" he aimed the turret at the boy and fired. "Hehehe." When the smoke cleared, the boy was still there. "WHAT!" The Gold Fighter held up his hand and yelled, and the next thing he knew, the driver was sent into the air while inside his tank. "AHH! What's going on?" Then, the tank crashed back down, knocking the madman unconscious.

Videl sat there, observing the entire situation with wide eyes. "So…that's the…Gold Fighter?" she asked a nearby policeman.

"Yep, that's him."

The arrest was made, and the Gold Fighter was thanked both for saving their beloved Videl, and for stopping the anarchist. He then flew off.

"Maybe I'm just…imagining things but…I swear I know someone who wears those same clothes. But who?"

* * *

><p>Later that night, exclamations could be heard emanating from Gohan's house, frightening animals as far as a mile away.<p>

"MATH TEAM! OH GOHAN! I'M SO THRILLED! Just think, if you win something, you might get offered scholarships!" Chi-Chi was nearly in tears as she expressed delight in her son's newest endeavor.

"Yeah, and the first competition is this Saturday! Can you guys come?"

"OF COURSE WE'RE COMING!"

"Haha, big brother's gonna win!" Goten didn't really understand much about math, but he was eager to show support for anything Gohan did.

"Well, I'll try squirt," he replied, smiling. He patted his little brother on the head.

"Gohan," Ox-King began, "words cannot describe proud of you I am!" Gohan hugged his dear grandfather.

The family discussed the warrior's first day of school for a little while longer. Of course, the part about making the school shake, leaving, and stopping an anarchist in a tank was conveniently left out, with good reason.

"Alright, it's about time for bed, don't you think?" the satisfied mother suggested.

Her sons nodded in concurrence and headed off to bed.

* * *

><p>That same night, another parent-child conversation was taking place. Dinner was being served in the Satan household, and just like every night, an exquisite meal was prepared by Hercule's personal chefs. Although Hercule does not show any signs of affection to many people, the one person he'd shower with love was his only daughter, Videl. He made it a priority for the two of them to have dinner every night so that they could catch up. Tonight, however, dinner was relatively slow. Videl had been engaged in deep thought since the moment they began eating. Hercule, of course, took notice to this.<p>

"Hey uh, Videl," he began as he stuffed a bread roll in his mouth, "is something wrong? You're kinda quiet today!"

Videl glanced up from her food and faced her father. "Oh, it's nothing. I was wondering, though."

"Yeah, sweetpea?"

"Do we have any plans for Saturday? Like, do we have any media events to attend or anything?"

Hercule was quite surprised by the question. Videl never really cared whether they had to do something, she usually just went along without complaining, though she frequently proved her love for the media by answering questions with sarcasm. Nonetheless, he pulled a small calendar out of his pocket and checked Saturday.

"Nope, nothing, luckily. The press is really getting on my nerves lately. But why? WAIT!" His eyes widened and he was already halfway across the table about to interrogate his daughter. "YOU'RE NOT THINKING OF GOING ON A DATE WITH SOME LOSER BOY ARE YOU?" Hercule bellowed. He was very overprotective of his daughter, and refused to let her date anyone that was weaker than him, which they both believed to be impossible.

"Oh, no, of course not, Dad!" she countered. Hercule's worry subsided, and he returned to his seat, releasing a sigh of relief.

"Well, then, what exactly _are_ you planning on doing Saturday?"

A suspicious smile crossed Videl's face and her eyes narrowed as she answered, "Going to a math competition."


	7. Chapter 7: The Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Chapter 7: The Dream

Eyes became heavy as Gohan sat up in bed, attempting to stay awake and contemplate all of the day's events. Such an excessive amount of things happened in such a short period of time. It was like the Cell Games, but without an evildoer bent on world destruction. Joining a math club, interacting with people, classes, and even having to use his powers to save the day again, made for an exceptionally busy afternoon. He wondered if every day would be that busy. But, at least one of his desires was fulfilled: he was not bored.

And that Videl girl, she…wait a minute. Why was he thinking about Videl? She was just a typical human, right? So, why did she plague his thoughts like this? He's met more powerful, more intelligent people, yet there was something that made this girl stand out, and he couldn't place it. Maybe it was her abnormal bravery? Nah…every one of the Z-fighters were excessively brave.

Suddenly, he realized a strange feeling in his stomach. It was similar to when he sensed a large power level, but that wasn't the problem. It felt like a combination of being nervous and scared, yet extremely happy. Maybe he was getting sick from thinking too much? Better to just go to sleep. And so, he dozed off into what would turn out to be an ominous slumber.

* * *

><p>Without warning, he appeared in a dense forest. The sun was shining brightly and the temperature was perfect, but the serenity of the day could not ease the growing paranoia in Gohan. He felt as if something bad were about to happen, something catastrophic. But why? He had no reason to believe anything was wrong. He didn't sense any power levels, and there wasn't any suspicious activity occurring. But however strange it sounded, his gut told him something was going to happen.<p>

'Hm,' he thought. 'I'll just walk around a bit and see what I can find. Best to keep on guard.' His stroll went off without a hitch. He should have been enjoying it, the birds chirping, the wind blowing. What was wrong? 'This is insane. Why am I here anyway? I'll just go home.' But try as he might, he had somehow forgotten how to fly!

"What is going on?" He began growing even more worried. "This shouldn't be a problem for me, it feels like I'm being restrained or something. Well, if I can't fly then…NIIIIIMBUUUUUS!" he called. He scouted the sky for a sign of the cloud, but it never came. "Okay, this is too strange. I guess I have to walk."

* * *

><p>After what seemed like an eternity, he had grown bored of walking and took a seat next to an oak tree. He looked up, wondering what to do next. Then, as if by magic, a stone well appeared a few meters away in a clearing. "Huh, I wonder why I didn't see that earlier." He got up and went over to examine it. He found that the well was filled to the top with water. All of a sudden, a voice emerged. An image of a person appeared in the water. It was…Gohan! Well, it was an eleven year old Gohan, but it was Gohan nonetheless.<p>

"So, Gohan. Have you figured it out yet?" the image asked.

Gohan looked extremely confused and slightly anxious. "Figured out what yet? Who are you?"

"I'm you," the voice replied.

"You're…me?"

"Yes, young warrior. I am you. Or rather, I am your heart. You have kept me locked up for too long, and that is why you have yet to embrace your destiny."

"What? If you're really my heart, then you know that I don't believe in destiny!"

"Oh really?" the image raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…yeah? I have no reason to lie."

"I never said you were lying, Gohan. The problem is, you're confused."

"I'm not confused!"

"Ahaha. Stubborn as ever. You've sealed away your secret weapon."

"What…my secret weapon?"

"Yes, you must release it."

"What is it?"

"It's me!"

"I don't understand!" Now Gohan was again in a fit of emotion: confused, worried, and frustrated all at once. His eleven year old self was his secret weapon? Was the image talking in metaphor?

The voice didn't reply. "Hey! Answer me! What do you mean?" Again, no reply. Growing irritated, Gohan slammed his fist down into the water, prompting him to be sucked in.

The next thing he discovered was that he was in a park. Again the sun was shining brightly, and the temperature was perfect, but something felt amiss. He was walking, but without any clear destination in mind. And there was someone walking next to him. Well, sort of. He could sense their presence, but couldn't see them, and couldn't make out who it was. But their presence was familiar. It was…nice.

"This…is too confusing. What the heck is going on?" His rage began to grow, and tears nearly formed in his eyes. Then, he heard another voice.

"Good! Good! You are starting to remember," a voice called, different from the last one.

"Remember what?"

"You must find out for yourself." Gohan began feeling hopeless. He screamed out in agony, demanding answers. His scream was so loud that the park…shattered? Was it all made of glass? Now he found himself in complete darkness. An infinite void of nothingness. There was nowhere to walk, nowhere to fly, and nobody there. He was alone.

Suddenly, a man appeared. Was it…?

"Dad?" Gohan called out. The man who materialized looked almost exactly like Goku, except that there was a scar on his cheek, and he was wearing Saiyan armor.

"Wrong, kid." By his voice, Gohan knew it wasn't his father, but who was it?

"Well then, who are you?" he demanded to know.

"Someone who is here to help you."

"Help me with what?"

"You want answers, don't you? I've come to give you some advice."

"Okay, well what did the voice in the water mean by embracing my destiny?"

"That will become clear soon enough. Do you know why he appeared to you?"

"No. If I did, I wouldn't have asked you!"

"You've had the wrong mindset, Gohan."

"Wrong mindset?"

"Yes. You've changed since the old days, haven't you?" he inquired as though he was testing Gohan.

"The old days? How do you know about the old days? And I haven't changed!" The man raised an eyebrow, unbelievingly.

"Oh no? Then let me ask you something. Do you believe in destiny?"

"Of course not!"

"And why not?"

"Because I think that-"

"Exactly," he interrupted.

"Huh?"

"Don't think, Gohan. Feel."

"Feel? What do you mean?"

"I mean you've been thinking too much, instead of feeling. Remember your fight with Cell?"

"Of course, how could I forget?"

"How did you beat him?"

"I used a Kamehameha!"

"Wrong."

"Uh, what? Yes I did! I remember it clearly."

"You're missing the point. If you had released a Kamehameha at the beginning of the battle, would you have won then?"

"Uh, maybe not."

"Exactly. Why were you able to do it later?"

"Well, because I became a Super Saiyan 2."

"How did you do that?"

"How? Uh, I just…did."

"No. Think harder."

"But, you told me not to think!"

"Excellent! I see you're learning. Then what did I tell you to do?"

"To…feel?"

"Yes. What did you feel when you transformed?"

"I was mad. And sad."

"Exactly."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I see I'm not getting through to you. So I'll ask you something else. Think about your father. Why was he so successful in battles? Why did he always win?"

"Simple. Because he's a Saiyan." The man started cracking up.

"Haha, well isn't Vegeta a Saiyan? He didn't beat your father. He didn't beat Frieza. Why was your father able to beat them?"

"Okay, I'm sorry, but I really don't understand what this has to do with anything."

"It's like the voice in the well told you earlier, you've sealed away your secret weapon."

"ARGH! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST TELL ME! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY!" Gohan's annoyance reached its zenith. Then another person appeared. It was…Krillin?

"Krillin! What is going on?" The man did not answer. "Uh, Krillin?" He then heard another familiar voice, one that he wished in the past he would never hear again.

"This time, you won't come back!" The demonic lizard appeared, and concentrated his power on Krillin.

"WHAT! NOOOOO!" Gohan knew what was coming next and refused to let it happen. He flew towards Frieza and punched directly for his head, but to no avail. The hit went right through. He turned back to Krillin, who was being lifted into the air.

"HELP ME! AHHH!" His long-time friend and ally exploded into pieces right in front of him. Uncontrollable rage saturated the young Saiyan. He had failed again. He let Krillin die. He turned into a Super Saiyan 2, yelling as much as he could. The man resembling Goku grinned suspiciously. Then Frieza disappeared, and was replaced with a much more loving being- his mother Chi-Chi. Gohan felt like he knew what was coming next.

"Mom! What are you doing? Get out of here!" he pleaded. Chi-Chi could not hear him. Then HE appeared. The person who caused Gohan to release his sleeping powers seven years ago. The android Cell. The green creature looked at him and smirked.

"I see your powers went back to sleep, young warrior. Do I need to awaken them AGAIN?"

"N…No!" He couldn't move, he couldn't speak. Cell transported behind Chi-Chi. "MOM!" But it was too late. Cell blew her into the next dimension. The feeling Gohan experienced when Android 16 was slaughtered all those years ago reawakened, but it was intensified tenfold. He couldn't control himself. He found himself roaring beyond lung capacity, an immense aura blazing around him. And just like that, it stopped. Everything except for the Goku twin disappeared. Gohan fell down to one knee.

"I can't tell you, because you have to figure it out by yourself," answering his previous question. "I must leave now, but before I go, I will say what I came here to tell you, so pay very close attention."

Gohan looked up intently, tears still running down his face.

"If you smile in joy, then laugh in sorrow. Your outlook to life will change." The Goku look alike smiled. "Alive are those who confront death. Reject happiness, but embrace sorrow. Happiness is unfaithful. It is there for some days and then leaves. But sorrow remains with you. Now, wipe your tears, embrace your sorrow, and destiny will be at your feet, and _you'll_ be its king. _You'll _become the conqueror of fate." He then bent down to Gohan and put his arm on his shoulder, still grinning as he finished his prophecy. "Now laugh, son."

"Huh?" He looked up but the man was gone. All that was left was the dark void. Then, for some reason, he got a funny feeling in his stomach. He couldn't explain it, but it felt good. For no apparent reason, he started laughing. Soon he was laughing so hard that he was falling over. Yet internally existed a vicious squall that had not been calmed, but strengthened. The winds from the squall were his rage, furious at the lack of answers he had received, and furious at himself for not understanding. The torrential downpour of the squall was his tears of despair. But those weren't the only feelings he experienced. The power he sensed within for years seemed closer, like it wasn't even a reach away. Finally, everything ended.

He woke up. It had all been a dream. He glanced over at the alarm clock. 6:17. He still had time to sleep. What a strange dream!


End file.
